Ladder jack



0. J. LATHAM April 10, 1951 LADDER JACK Filed April 19, 1948 m m m W 07195 J La ilz am qwm 124? ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LADDER JACK Orel J. Latham, Canton, Ohio Application April 19, 1948, Serial No. 21,991

1 Claim.

The invention relates to ladder jacks for supporting a scaifold or platform upon ladders for use by painters, carpenters or other workmen.

The object of the improvement is to provide a simple, inexpensive and durable jack which may be easily and readily attached to an ordinary ladder in such a manner as to form a support for a platform or scaffold upon which workmen may stand or sit.

Another object is to provide such a jack in the form of a bar, with means for supporting one end portion thereof upon a rung of a ladder, and a chain or the like for supporting the other end of the bar from a higher rung of the ladder.

Still another object is to provide ajack of this character comprising a bar having a lug formed near one end thereof for contact with a side rail of the ladder when the adjacent end of the bar is supported upon a rung of the ladder, a chain or the like slidably connected to said end of the bar and adapted to be located around said side rail and through an opening in the lug for securing the bar in position upon said rung of the ladder, and an eye in the other end of the bar through which the chain is passed and connected to a higher rungon the ladder for supporting the ha in horizontal position.

A further object is to provide such a jack formed from a bar of U-shape crosssection, the lug being also of U-shape cross section so that the chain may slide through the same.

A still further object is to provide a ladder jack of the character referred to which may be used upon either single or double ladders and which may be adjusted to any desired height on a wall or building.

Another object is the provision of a ladder jack of this character which securely locks itself to the ladder in the desired position to form a rigid, horizontal support, directed either inwardly or outwardly from the ladder.

The above objects, together with others which will be apparent from the drawing and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved ladder jack in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in drawing, in which:

the accompanying Figure l is a perspective view of a ladder jack Y embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view of a ladder with the jack secured thereon to support a plank on the side of the ladder opposite the side thereof which rests against the building or wall supporting it;

Fig. 3- a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the jack and plank onthe opposite side of the ladder; and

Fig. 4 a horizontal sectional view taken as on the line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the con struction illustratedin the accompanying draw-i ing,.in which similar numerals refer to similar" parts throughout the several views, theimproved ladder jack is shown as formed from a straight bar Ill, of U-shape cross section, having a lug II, also of U-shape cross section, rigidly connected to the bar II] at a point spaced from one end there! of, as indicated at I2, and spaced aconsiderably greater distance fromthe other end I3 of the bar.

The U-shape lug H is preferably rigidly attached to the bar by inserting the open end l4 thereof into the open side of the U-shape bar l0 and securing it thereto as by welding indicated at I5.

A loop or eye I6 is formed at the end l3 of the bar, being preferably in the form of a U-shape metal strip having its open end inserted into the open side of the U-shape bar HI and welded thereto as indicated at IT. V

A chain ill, or the like, is slidably located through the U-shape lug H, and through the loop or eye 16 and one end thereof is connected to a ring 19 which is slidably mountedupon the bar It], between the lug II and the end l2 of the bar, while the other end of the chain, which is located through the eye or loop I6, is provided with a hook 20.

A short length of rubber tubing or the like, as indicated at 2|, is preferably located over the chain, between the ring l9 and the lug I I, so as to prevent this end of the chain from pulling through the lug when the ring I9 is removed from the adjacent end of the bar l0. s

In mounting the jack upon a ladder, the bar It! may be placed in horizontal position, with its open side toward and in contact with the adjacent side rail 22 of the ladder, and the perpendicular edge 23 of the lug II in contact with the front or outer side of said side rail, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The ring i9, upon one end of the chain, is located over the end l2 of the bar and the chain is pulled through the lug H and loop or eye i6 so that the ring I 9 is pulled into contact with the rear side of the side rail 22 of the ladder, the bar being of course supported upon one rung, as indicated at 24 in Figs. 2 and 4, in horizontal position.

The chain is passed around an upper rung oi the ladder, as shown at 24a, and the hook 20 is hooked into a convenient link of the chain to hold the same taut with the bar ill supported in horizontal position as best shown in Fig. 2.

The ladder is of course supported against a building or wall, as indicated at W, and another ladder is supported against the wall in the same manner at the desired distance therefrom, so

that a planlg as indicated at 25, mayrest. upon the jacks upon ,both ladders, forming-a, platform;

or scaffold upon which workmen may stand or sit for working upon the wall W.

In Fig. 3 is shown the manner in which the jack may be mounted so as to support a plank-orscafiold upon the rear or inner side of the ladderg The jack is positioned reversely from the manner above described, the bar I8 beinghorizontally: disposed and resting upon a rung of the ladder,,

as indicated at 241), 'withlthe perpendicular edge 23, of the lug II in contact with the rear or inner side of the adj acent: side rail- 22* of the; ladder,

and the ring I 9"uponone end of thechain being be locatedthereon in the manner above described.

Ero ntheaboveitrwill be obviousthata simple,

4 inexpensive and durable ladder jack is provided which may be quickly and easily mounted upon a ladder in desired adjusted position for supporting a plank or scaffold, and which is applicable to either a single or double ladder, since the bar merely rests upon a rung of the ladder and is held securely in position by connecting the chain to a higher rung.

Io aim A ladderwjack foi; use upona ladder having side rails and rungs, said ladde jack comprising a straight bar for support upon a rung of the lad- (161', a perforate lug upon one side of the bar near one end thereof for contact with one side of a siderail of, the ladder, a chain having one end connected to the bar on the other side of said I side:rail of theladder, an eye at the other end of the bar, the chain being located around said side rail, through the perforate lug and through said 30' Number-= Name Date 3565457" Dudley Jan. 25, 1887 881,996 Block Mar. 17; 190B 1,972,211 Weisgra-ber Sept. 4, 1934 eye, and, a hook upon the other end of the, chain forattachingsaid'other end of the chain to a higher rung of the ladder; V

' OREL J; LATHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The, following references are of record in the file otthiSpatent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS} 

